Classic and Contemporary Poetry
VERSES FROM THE 'ANNALIA DUBRENSIA', by WILLIAM BASSE Poet's Biography First Line: You faire assemblies that renowne Last Line: Rarius eveniunt solatia Subject(s): Animals; Games; Horseback Riding; Hunting; Rabbits; Sports; Recreation; Pastimes; Amusements; Hunters; Hares | ||||||||
1. YOU faire assemblies that renowne These Mountaines with th' Olimpick sport, And Sisters sweete, that make this downe Parnassus like, by your resort, Since Shepheards of each neighbour'd Towne, Enamour'd of your rare report Their honours to this meeting bring, Yee looke your Swaine his part should sing. 2. For Songs as sweete, as hallowes deepe, Deserves the sport, whose harmelesse ends Are to helpe Nature life to keepe, And second Love, in joyning friends; That neither breakes the loosers sleepe, Nor winner home Triumphing sends; Where none, a little gold so spent, Nor Time more pretious, need repent. 3. Where no vaine Card, nor witching dy, Doth Gamster strip of lands or clothes; No impious mouth makes blushing sky Reverberate with thundring oathes; Nor Earth's neate face doth slubber'd lie In foule excesse, that nature loathes: Furies that Masque in shapes of sport, And, sted of lengthning, cut life short. 4. But where men meet, not for delight So much, as for delight to meete; And where, to use their Pastime right, They make it not so great, as sweete; Where Love doth, more then gaine, invite, Hands part at last as first they greete; And loosers none, where all that's plaid With friendship won may not be weigh'd. 5. Where horse not for his price doth ride, More then his truth (a match as faire); And Grey-hound is for Coller tride, More then for death of harmlesse Hare; And kennells pack't, that how they cry'd, Not what they kill'd, men may declare; For hunters most heroyick are they, That seeke the prise and shun the prey. 6. Where bountifull horizons give Vs shepheards leave, that walke on foote, As long to see the Leurett live, As hee that rides with bloodie boote: Where Cinthias horne and Floras sive, Give Viletts breath, and Cowslipps roote; And Lillies chaste, by chaster treades Of Damsells, more perfume their Beds. 7. Brave DOVER, from whose Ioviall hand Their yearely Life these revells take, In mid'st whereof doth shining stand Thy Castle built for solace sake, Which is so well with vertue man'd, That vice dare no approaches make: Still may thy ports all good retaine, And Ordnance batter all thats' vaine. 8. The Sun the day will then delay, Still more to view thy Troupes so sweete; The Earth will lay with carpets gay Her bosome for their gentle feete; Aprill and May strive which of they Most freshly shall thee yeerely meete: And learned Nymphs by Stower sing As by the Pegasean Spring. 9. For, of all honour to thy sport, Tis not the least that thou didst chuse To furnish thy renowned Fort With straines of every gentle Muse; For by the power of their report New ages still doe old peruse, Forbidding Time, or Hate, to kill Deeds honest, sav'd by honest quill. 10. Enough of this, the slendrest Oate That Mirth hath to your Mountaine brought: But Muses just from Shepheards throate Except no more then they have taught. But now, if Art will lend a noate Where shee has borrowed many a thought, To Pipe, or Lyre, or Violl strung, Which others reade, let mee bee sung. dulcia sunt que Rarius eveniunt solatia | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SNOWSHOE HARE by MARY OLIVER THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 3. FEEDING THE RABBITS by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR FEBRUARY: THE BOY BREUGHEL by NORMAN DUBIE UNCLE'S FIRST RABBIT by LORNA DEE CERVANTES BEHOLDING THE HARE by EAMON GRENNAN THE OLD SQUIRE by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT SONG OF THE RABBITS OUTSIDE THE TAVERN by ELIZABETH JANE COATSWORTH ELEGY ON MR. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE by WILLIAM BASSE |
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